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Wednesday, 1 April 2015

'Indiscretion' Blog Tour Stop, Official Book Launch and International Book Giveaway Draw with Author Hannah Fielding!

I would like to welcome Hannah Fielding to 'The Secret Writer' blog as part of her blog tour and for the 'Official Release Day' of her new novel 'Indiscretion'. When Hannah was a child, her governess told her fairy stories. These tales, full of superstition and magic, were Hannah's first inspiration, and the warmth and colour they still evoke greatly influence her writing. They were also the experience through which Hannah learned to become a storyteller, as her governess and herself had an agreement – whenever she told Hannah a story,Hannah would have to tell her one in return.

As a novelist, Hannah is obsessed by vivid colours, lush landscapes and tales of exotic customs in far-off lands. Hannah can trace much of this back to a dear and long-departed friend of her family Mr Chiumbo Wangai, who fascinated her as a teenager with stories of the witch-doctors and magical ceremonies in his native Kenya. When Hannah visited the country herself, she soon fell in love with its beautiful countryside and unforgettable sunsets.

Though Hannah has been telling stories since she was a child, it was only after her children had grown up and her husband and herself had turned their family business into a success that she felt that she could devote herself to writing full time. After Hannah dug out the various ideas and sketches that she had jotted down over the years, she realised how profoundly her travels throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and particularly Africa had burned themselves into her memory. Hannah felt driven to turn them into a novel.

The mystery, magic, heat and passion of Kenya’s landscapes inspired Hannah to use them as the setting for her first novel. Burning Embers, a passionate love story set against the backdrop of the country in 1970. Her later travels through Europe provided rich fodder for more stories, including another new novel, The Echoes of Love, set in Venice and Tuscany, Italy.

Hannah's latest novel 'Indiscretion' tells a tale of secrets, danger and passion under the scorching Spanish sun! Set in the wild landscape of Andalucia, 'Indiscretion' is a compelling story of love and identity, danger and desire, and the uncertainty of happiness when two worlds collide. Written in Hannah Fielding's signature style, infused with an old-school Hollywood glamour, 'Indiscretion' evokes the drama and passion of 1950s post-war Spain.

I am delighted that Hannah has been able to join us today for the Official Book Launch of her wonderful new novel 'Indiscretion' and so I will now leave Hannah to explain why she has probably chosen Spain as the geographical setting on which to base her latest novel! :-)

My Romance with Spain

My romance with Spain started when I was in my
teens after I saw a film called The
Pleasure Seekers. The wonderful setting and atmospheric music made me dream
and triggered my imagination. Then once I had visited that beautiful country
the seeds for Indiscretion were sown.

Spain
is a fiery land of passions and drama. All year there are azure skies, dazzling
sunshine and sweetly fragranced gardens… colour, romance, emotion and the
flamboyant figure of a flamenco dancer or the torero in the arena, sword and
cape in hand beneath the scorching sun. Let me share a few of the cultural
features of this fascinating country:

Flamenco:
It is the supreme art of the country, and such a beautiful one. Each
interpreter’s personality, character and life experience comes out in
their song, their dance, their playing: solitude, suffering, love, joy,
passion and death. A dancer’s small gesture can speak volumes; a cantaor, a flamenco singer, in a
single stifled cry can communicate a lifetime of longing. It’s a living
art with its own dialect, traditions and rules – it’s a way of life, a way
of perceiving and interpreting daily existence, and because of this it’s
in a permanent state of evolution.

Abanico: the ‘secret’ language
of the hand fan that women in Spain have been using since the
nineteenth century as an instrument of communication, a tool for
flirtation and a means to convey secret messages in an age when freedom of
speech for women was totally restricted. It is said that this tradition
was passed from mother to daughter to use in situations where conversation
was not considered proper, and to prevent indiscretions when faced with
lovers and potential suitors in a social situation. Depending on how the
women held or moved their fans, men would understand what they were trying
to say.

Architecture:
The Moorish conquest of Spain
in the early eighth century and their ruling of Spain for almost seven
centuries led to the creation of an era of magnificent architecture built
in the Al-Ándalus style. One of
the distinguishing characteristics of Moorish architecture is that the exterior
is plain but the interior is exquisitely ornate. Elements of nature
included in these buildings are courtyards with gardens, fountains, reflecting
pools and beautiful landscapes. Tiled wainscotings in colourful geometric
patterns are also found in the majority of the rooms along with mosaic
patterns created with pebbles. Among the surviving examples are the Alhambra andGeneralife of Granada,
theAlcázar and Giraldaof Seville,
and the Mezquita of Cordoba.

Traditions: Take
a walk to the market place in the early evening and watch the paseo, a stroll around the square
in which young people socialise with each other. Experience the tapear, going from one bar to
another for drinks and tapas – an essential part of the social culture of Spain.

Ferias:Fairs are charged with
music and dance, conjuring an image of open air, moonlight sky, and all
the aromas that a warm summer’s night has to offer. You find women in
brightly coloured dresses, silk shawls, and rainbow-painted fans on
horseback with their novios and
dancing the most evocative
sevillanas.

All this and so much more
contributed to my romance with Spain.

You can find out much more about Hannah and her work by visiting her website. Just follow the web link given below:

Thanks to Midas PR I have three copies of Hannah Fielding's latest novel 'Indiscretion' to giveaway in a special prize draw linked to this post. Mira PR will directly mail the prizes to the winners on completion of the prize draw. Please click on the Followers International Monthly Book Draw tab at the top of my webpage for further details, or the direct 'click here' web link highlighted below :-)